Before You Start

Before converting your files, take a few minutes to understand what dovi_convert does, why it exists, and when conversion is - or isn’t - appropriate.

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The problem

Dolby Vision Profile 7 was designed for UHD Blu-ray, exclusively. Blu-ray discs contain two video layers:

• Base Layer (BL) - HDR10-compatible video
• Enhancement Layer (EL) - Additional data that improves picture quality

Blu-ray players have dual decoders to handle both layers. Most media players and streaming devices only have one - they can’t decode the Enhancement Layer. When they encounter Profile 7 content, they either:

1. Fall back to HDR10 - You lose all Dolby Vision benefits
2. Fail to play - The file won’t work at all
3. Convert blindly - Strip the Enhancement Layer without checking if it’s safe

The third option is what devices like Nvidia Shield and software like Kodi (with Dolby Vision Compatibility Mode) do. They convert on-the-fly, but they don’t check whether the Enhancement Layer contains critical brightness data. If it does, the conversion produces a broken picture.

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What dovi_convert does differently

It examines the Enhancement Layer to determine whether stripping it is safe. If the layer contains brightness expansion data - meaning it actively increases brightness beyond the base video - the tool warns you and skips the file by default. The conversion process:

1. Strips the Enhancement Layer from the video
2. Injects the RPU (dynamic metadata) into the Base Layer
3. Creates a Profile 8.1 file that works on nearly any Dolby Vision device

All audio and subtitle tracks are preserved. Your original file is backed up automatically.

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What you lose (and why it usually doesn’t matter) - and what you gain

The Enhancement Layer can contain more than brightness data. Some titles include reconstructive information like film grain, noise patterns, or color corrections. When you convert to Profile 8.1, this data is discarded. However, this is only a concern if your playback device supports FEL - and if it did, you wouldn’t need this tool. Devices that lack FEL support give you two options:

1. Fall back to plain HDR10 - Lose all Dolby Vision benefits, including dynamic metadata (almost all devices)
2. Convert to Profile 8.1 on the fly - Keep the dynamic metadata, lose only the Enhancement Layer (this is what the Nvidia Shield does)

The dynamic metadata (RPU) is the core of what makes Dolby Vision valuable. It contains scene-by-scene tone mapping instructions that tell your TV how to display each frame. Profile 8.1 preserves this entirely. HDR10 fallback gives you none of it.

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Understanding the Enhancement Layer

The Enhancement Layer in Profile 7 files comes in different forms. dovi_convert classifies them into three categories:

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MEL (Minimal Enhancement Layer)

The most common type. The Enhancement Layer exists in the file structure but contains no useful data. Converting is completely safe - you lose nothing.

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Simple FEL (No brightness expansion)

The Enhancement Layer contains some data (like film grain or minor color adjustments), but does not expand brightness. Converting is generally safe. You lose the minor enhancements, but the picture remains correct.

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Complex FEL (Brightness expansion)

The Enhancement Layer actively elevates brightness beyond what the Base Layer contains. Some films are mastered at 4000 nits but have an HDR10 Base Layer trimmed to 1000 nits - the Enhancement Layer provides the missing brightness. What to do with Complex FEL files:

• Watch the HDR10 fallback (the Base Layer plays as HDR10 on unsupported devices)
• Use a device that supports Profile 7 FEL playback (e.g., Ugoos AM6B+)
• Do not convert unless you understand and accept the quality loss

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Device-specific notes

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Nvidia Shield

The Shield handles Profile 7 files by stripping the Enhancement Layer and injecting the RPU in real-time - the same process dovi_convert does offline. However, the Shield has limitations:

• High bitrate struggles - Real-time conversion during playback can cause stuttering on high-bitrate files
• No safety checks - The Shield converts everything, including Complex FEL files

dovi_convert gives you control. You analyze files in advance, identify problematic titles, and only convert what’s safe.

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Apple TV with Plex

If you use Plex on Apple TV 4K, you may encounter “Fake Dolby Vision” regardless of which Dolby Vision profile your file uses.

• The issue: Plex displays the Dolby Vision logo on your TV, but fails to apply the dynamic metadata. The result is HDR10 in a Dolby Vision container.
• Why it happens: Plex uses Apple’s AVPlayer, which has inconsistent Dolby Vision support despite Apple adding Profile 8.1 support in tvOS 17.
• The solution: Use Infuse instead of Plex. Infuse uses a custom player that correctly applies Dolby Vision metadata. It integrates with Plex servers (the free version doesn’t support Dolby Vision).

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What conversion cannot fix

Converting to Profile 8.1 does not solve format incompatibility issues unrelated to the Enhancement Layer:

• TrueHD Atmos audio - Apple TV can’t decode TrueHD. You need EAC3 Atmos or AAC fallback tracks.
• Multi-angle or Picture-in-Picture - Secondary video streams are dropped during conversion.
• Subtitle compatibility - Some devices have issues with PGS subtitles; conversion doesn’t change this.

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Next steps